A man suspected of causing significant damage by cutting down telephone wires in broad daylight earlier this week has been apprehended, according to an announcement made by the Richmond Police Department on Wednesday. The incident occurred in the 1200 block of Castro Ranch Road, where officers from the Richmond Police Department promptly responded to a report of wire theft in progress.
The suspect was swiftly located and detained by the Richmond officers. Upon searching the suspect’s vehicle, stolen wire and tools used for wire theft were discovered. Consequently, the suspect was arrested and subsequently booked into jail on charges of felony theft, as confirmed by the police.
AT&T, the affected telecommunications company, estimated the damage caused to the phone lines to be in excess of $20,000. As a result of the severed wires, telephone and internet access in the area were disrupted. The incident highlights an alarming increase in copper wire thefts within the region, as acknowledged by the Richmond Police Department.
Residents of Richmond are urged to report any suspicious activity near utility boxes, utility poles, or buried utilities to the police dispatch at (510)-233-1214.
